This is an archive page for Sydney

Forthcoming dates for this school to be announced.

Sydney

Monday 6 – Friday 17 February 2012

In late 2010 and early 2011 Australia experienced the most devastating flooding in many years. As a consequence of climate change and rising sea levels, all coastal cities are now at risk of evanescence – fading away. However Sydney, with over 100km of coastal edge and harbourside, will be a ground zero for these changes.

Using Sydney as our testbed, we will develop floatable prototypes and experiment with their potential use in different scenarios. Our focus will not be on land reclamation for urban expansion – as it is in other cities around the world – but rather on land retention and the expansion of new grounds. We will investigate how to manage the tenuous conditions between the manmade and the natural.

This studio-based design workshop will explore the potential of articulated envelopes and grounds through the use of computational design approaches and the construction of 1:1 inhabitable and floatable spaces. The workshop will be taught by tutors from the AA School and the University of Technology Sydney and will also include input from specialist participants. In phase one of the workshop, two strands will run in parallel. The first of these is a tooling up session introducing parametric approaches and relational methods, while the second strand is a hands-on material exploration of inflatable structures, floatable surfaces, driftable scapes and lands that surf. Phase two will see the participants developing a scaled prototype along with a comprehensive future vision of their prototypical landscape deployed in the context of Sydney. 

Alongside studio-based design tutorials and seminars there will be a series of lectures and supportive presentations. During the workshop, we will tour some of the 50 coastal and 12 harbourside beaches that Sydney has to offer to investigate local conditions and test the prototypes in situ.

Applications

The deadline for applications is 27 January 2012. All participants travelling from abroad are responsible for securing any visa required. After payment of fees, the AA can provide a letter confirming participation in the workshop. A portfolio or CV is not required, only the online application form and payment.

Fees

The AA Visiting School requires a fee of £695 per participant, which includes a £50 Visiting Membership. If you are already a member, the total fee will be reduced automatically by £50 by the online payment system. Fees are non refundable. A discount is offered to UTS students. Fees do not include flights.
Accommodation during the workshop is not provided, but advice accommodation options can be given.
Students need to bring their own laptops, digital equipment and model making tools. Please ensure this equipment is covered by your own insurance as the AA takes no responsibility for items lost or stolen at the workshop.

Eligibility
The workshop is open to architecture and design students and professionals worldwide.